The present invention relates to a cup type automatic vending machine, and more particularly, relates to a cup type vending machine in which operations for a syrup exchange can be reduced and of which structure can be simplified.
A cup type automatic vending machine for preparing a cup type drink by mixing a syrup as a material with a drink water or carbonated water has been known.
In FIG. 1, a syrup supplying system in a conventional cup type automatic vending machine is shown, which comprises a syrup tank 15 storing a syrup, a sold-out case 22 to inspect existence of syrup to be supplied via a pipe 21 from the syrup tank 15, a cooling coil 23 connected to a down stream side of the sold-out case 22 and dipped in a cooling water W stored in a cooling water vessel 7, a flow rate regulator 12 for controlling a flow rate of the syrup and to be connected to the cooling coil 23, and an electromagnetic valve 13 connected to the flow rate regulator 12 through a pipe 24 and which opens and closes according to the syrup supplying operation.
The syrup tank 15 has a gas introduction portion 15A connected to a gas cylinder (not shown) storing carbon dioxide gas therein and a syrup sending portion 15B to send a syrup according to a gas pressure of carbon dioxide gas. The electromagnetic valve 13 opens according to a syrup supplying indication to be output from a control portion (not shown) and the syrup is sent to the pipe 21 connected to the syrup sending portion 15B.
In FIG. 2, a conventional sold-out case 22 is shown, which comprises an introduction portion 22L to introduce a syrup in the case 22 from a pipe (not shown) installed in a lower part of the case 22 and connected to a pipe connecting material 22K, a cylindrical casing main body 22M, a sending portion 220 installed in an upper part of the case 22 and to send the syrup stored in the case 22 through a siphon pipe 22N, a syrup sensor 22P attached to the sending portion 220 and to inspect existence of the syrup in the case 22, and a gas releasing portion 22Q connected to the sending portion 220 by a screw. In the case, 70 cc of the syrup can be stored which is a volume necessary for sale of a cup.
The sold-out case 22 has such fill-in, fill-out structure that a syrup to be introduced into the case at a time of sales operation of the cup type drinks is lead through a flowing path 22R to the upper portion of the case, and is sent through the siphon pipe 22N from the sending portion 220. A sealing material 22S is installed in connecting positions of the introduction portion 22L, casing main body 22M and sending portion 220 to prevent them from a liquid leakage. A sealing material 22T is installed between the gas releasing portion 22Q and the sending portion 220 to prevent them from a gas leakage. The syrup sensor 22P includes a pair of electrodes to be immersed in the syrup in the case 22 and can inspect a sold-out of syrup when a liquid level of syrup is lowered to expose the electrodes from the syrup, whereby an electricity is turned off. The gas releasing portion 22Q can form a clearance between a top end portion 22U and the sending portion 220 by rotation of it, whereby a gas exhausting portion 22V is connected to the case through the clearance to exhaust a carbonator to be accumulated in the case.
According to the sold-out case, sales operation per one cup of syrup can be done after a sold-out of syrup, because a syrup of another one cup is stored in the case.
However, according to a conventional cup type automatic vending machine, a flowing path and a siphon pipe are installed in a syrup case to realize a fill-in, fill-out operation and as a result, case and piping structure are complicated. And, there are another problems that much amount of washing water and much time are necessary for washing operation to change a kind of syrup. Also, existence of syrup can not be correctly inspected in syrup of a high gas absorption rate, because air bubbles are generated by change of flowing rate based on change in cross-section area of the flowing path and are contact with a syrup sensor to make it move erroneously. Further, the case is bigger because a fixed volume of syrup is stored in the case in order to guarantee a cup of sales volume after the inspection of the sold-out.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to install a cup type automatic vending machine which has more improved washability and inspection accuracy of syrup existence.
The object of the invention can be achieved by a cup type vending machine for selling a syrup drink to be supplied from a syrup storing portion to store the syrup through a supplying path to a supplying nozzle comprising a syrup inspection portion to inspect existence of the syrup installed in a certain position of the supplying path which has a syrup supply volume corresponding to a sales volume of at least one cup between the syrup inspection portion and the supplying nozzle.
According to the cup type automatic vending machine of the invention, the number of parts for the supplying path can be reduced and the structure thereof can be simplified because a cup of syrup which is a sales volume is hold in the supplying path between the syrup inspection portion and the supplying nozzle.